Letter: Putting the brakes on gentrification

This year Asheville was listed as the second fastest gentrifying city in the United States. Gentrification displaces long-term residents and local businesses, working class and low-income families and disproportionately impacts black families and businesses, already devastated by decades of government policies.

Action must be taken to ensure that Asheville doesn’t continue down the road to becoming a city that serves corporate, banking and real estate development interests at the expense of working people and marginalized neighborhoods.

Dee Williams is running for City Council and not only recognizes the severity of loss of affordability and community, she supports a plan that will put the brakes on gentrification. Dee supports the creation of land trusts that will preserve permanent affordable housing and the increase of funds for the Affordable Housing Trust Fund. In addition, private developers must include housing that is permanently affordable as part of their development plans. Dee recognizes that we have the resources to improve people’s lives and believes those resources should be distributed to improve the lives of the many, not the few.